---
url: https://docs.cybrosys.com/assista-ide/debugging.md
description: >-
  Start Odoo from the title bar, watch its log in the Debug Console, and turn on
  the debugger when you need breakpoints.
---

# Run and debug Odoo

Start your Odoo server with one click, read its log as it starts, and attach the debugger when you need to stop at a breakpoint.

## What you can do

* **Run Odoo with one click** from the title bar or with `F5`.
* **Read the server log** in the Debug Console, which opens when you run.
* **Debug with breakpoints** when you turn on **Run with Debugger**.
* **Restart or stop** the server from the title bar.
* **Open Odoo in the built-in browser** each time you run.

## Get started

1. [Set up your Odoo environment](/assista-ide/configuration), including the debugger paths. If no configuration exists yet, **Run** opens the debugger setup for you.
2. Select **Run** in the title bar, or press `F5`. Odoo starts and the Debug Console shows its log.
3. To stop the server, select **Stop**. To start it again, select **Restart** (`Ctrl+Shift+F5`, or `Cmd+Shift+F5` on macOS). Restart stops the server, waits for it to end, then runs it again with a fresh console.

The title-bar **Restart** and **Stop** buttons appear only while Odoo is running.

### Stop Odoo safely

The first **Stop** asks Odoo to shut down cleanly (the same as pressing `Ctrl+C`), and the log shows "Initiating shutdown". This lets Odoo finish what it is doing. If Odoo does not exit, select **Stop** a second time to end it immediately.

## Run with or without the debugger

By default, **Run** and `F5` start Odoo without the debugger attached. The server starts faster and is not paused by a leftover breakpoint. Breakpoints are not hit in this mode.

To debug with breakpoints:

* Open the arrow next to **Run** in the title bar and select **Run with Debugger**. **Run** and `F5` then start Odoo with the debugger attached. Select it again to switch back.
* Or select **Run > Start Debugging** from the menu bar for a single debug session.

The arrow next to **Run** has these options:

| Option | What it does |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Open in Browser** | Opens Odoo in the built-in browser each time you run |
| **Open Browser in New Window** | Opens that browser tab in its own window. Needs **Open in Browser** |
| **Run with Debugger** | Makes **Run** and `F5` attach the debugger |

The **Debug** button in the title bar opens the **Configure Odoo Debugger** section, where you can change the Python, `odoo-bin` and configuration paths.

## Use breakpoints

With the debugger on:

1. Select the space to the left of a line number to set a breakpoint, or right-click the line and select **Toggle Breakpoint**.
2. Send a request that reaches that code. Odoo pauses on the line.
3. Use the debug toolbar to continue, step over (`F10`), step into (`F11`), step out (`Shift+F11`) or stop (`Shift+F5`).
4. Type Python expressions in the Debug Console to inspect variables while the server is paused.

The debugger stops only in your own code. It skips the virtual environment and the Python standard library, so stepping stays on your modules.

The **Breakpoints** view in **Run and Debug** lists every breakpoint, where you can turn them off or remove them.

## Open Odoo in the built-in browser

Open the arrow next to **Run** and select **Open in Browser**. Odoo then opens in a browser tab next to your code each time you run it. Select **Open Browser in New Window** to put that tab in its own window.

* This is off by default.
* Assista opens the port set in your `odoo.conf` (`http_port`, or `xmlrpc_port` on older versions). If neither is set, it uses `8069`.
* You can open the page before Odoo finishes starting. Assista retries until the server answers.
* It reuses one browser tab for your project and reloads it when you restart Odoo.

## Tips and limits

* If Odoo does not start, check the paths in **Configure Odoo Debugger** and use **Test Configuration**.
* Your `odoo.conf` needs `db_host`, `db_user` and `db_password`. **Test Configuration** checks for these.
* Assista keeps a debug entry named **Odoo Debug** in `.vscode/launch.json`. It keeps your other entries, and it updates older entries of type `python` to the current debugger automatically.
* Only the first folder in your workspace is used. See [Set up your Odoo environment](/assista-ide/configuration).
* **Linux Snap upgrade:** if you move from an older Snap build, Assista may offer to move your Odoo data (the filestore) to the standard location. Choose **Move It Now**, or **Don't Ask Again**. The command **Recover Odoo Data from Previous Location** runs it later.

## Troubleshooting

| What you see | What to do |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Run** opens the debugger setup instead of starting Odoo | No launch configuration exists. Fill in and save **Configure Odoo Debugger** |
| Breakpoints are never hit | Turn on **Run with Debugger**, or use **Run > Start Debugging** |
| Odoo does not stop on the first **Stop** | Wait for the shutdown log. Select **Stop** again to end it immediately |
| The browser tab shows a connection error | Odoo is still starting. The tab retries. Check the Debug Console for startup errors |
| "Could not update launch.json" | The file has a syntax error. Fix it or remove it, then save again |
| Odoo cannot connect to PostgreSQL | Check the database settings. See [Prerequisites](/assista-ide/prerequisites#create-the-odoo-database-user) |

## Next steps

* [Share your local Odoo](/assista-ide/features/port-forwarding) with a public link.
* [Find text across your project](/assista-ide/features/global-search).
* Ask [Assista Coder](/assista-ide/features/assista-coder) to explain an error.